Cutter chain



May 10, 1949. 1 E. SIMMONS CUTTER CHAIN Filed July 2e, 1944 a ,f m /rd 2 3 ,wg N U.; 2 i mm 0 W E g/LkWV/:E n. n 0 6 z y Patented May 10, 1949 CUTTER CHAIN Leon E. Simmons, Claremont, N. H., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 26, 1944, Serial No. 546,653

9 Claims.

This invention relates to cutter chains and more particularly to an improved cutter bit mounting for a cutter chain especially designed for use in the cutting of coal or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved cutter chain. Another object is to provide an improved mounting for a cutter bit. A further object is to provide an improved chain block construction of an extremely rugged design. A still further object is to provide an improved bit clamp constructed to straddle a portion of the block lug and mounted for pivotal movement for securing a cutter bit in cutting position on a ychain block in an improved manner. Yet another object is to provide an improved chain block having its sides laterally cut away to provide a relatively narrow central portion on which a rearwardly facing bit seat is formed and improved means associated with the narrow portion of the block for securing a cutter bit against the seat. Another object is to provide an improved pivotally mounted bit clamp engaging with a wedging action a forwardly facing, inclined surface on the chain block for securing a cutter bit on the block in a novel manner. Still another object is to provide an improved pivoted bit clamp having a novel arrangement of the set screw for swinging the clamp about its pivot. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing there are shown for purposes of illustration two forms which the invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a cutter chain constructed in accordance with an illustrative form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in central longitudinal section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially in line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the cutter bit shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational View showing another form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on lines 8--8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the cutter bit shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

In both illustrative embodiments of the invention there is shown a chain block I and strap links 2, the latter being pivotally connected to the block by hinge pins 3. The invention may, however, be incorporated in other types of cutter chains.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the chain block has a lateral lug 4 which is laterally cut away at 5 to provide a relatively narrow central lug portion 6. The narrow block portion 6 has a rearwardly facing, outwardly inclined surface 'I against which a cutter bit is adapted to seat. The block lug has a forwardly facing, inclined Wedging surface 8 disposed rearwardly of the bit seating surface 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The central block portion 6 is transversely slotted at 9 in advance of the surface l, and the slot is elongated in a direction lengthwise of the block. A pivoted bit clamp I0 straddles the narrow block portion 6 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and attached to the parallel side portions or side arms II, II of the clamp is a transverse pivot element in the form of a rivet I2 passing through the slot 9. The clamp I 0 has a rear head portion I3 which is vertically slotted at I4 to provide a socket for the cutter bit. The clamp side arms II, II are preferably integrally connected at the forward side of the clamp by a transverse portion I5 located in advance of the block lug, and this transverse portion has an upright threaded opening I6 for receiving a set screw I'I. The lower end of the set screw abuts at I8 a forward portion of the chain block.

The cutter bit is generally designated I9 and is preferably forged into shape and is in the form of a segment of a circle in side elevation and is of generally T-shape in Across section. The cutting face 20 is of elongated elliptical shape in outline and terminates in cutting points ZI, 2| at the opposite extremities of the bit body. A narrow flange 22 at the back of the bit provides the leg of the T and this back flange is received in the clamp head socket with the cutting face of the bit resting against the surface 1 on the block. 'I'he clamp head engages at 23 the inclined lug surface 8, and, when the set screw I'I is adjusted inwardly, the clamp is swung about its pivot to clamp the cutter bit rmly in cutting position on the block. Engagement of the clamp head with the inclined surface 8 causes the cutter bit t-o be clamped against the seating surface I with a powerful wedging action and the elongated slot permits longitudinal adjustment of the clamp on its pivotal mounting as it is swung about its pivot so that the cutter bit is firmly held in cutting position against the block surface .'I.

In Figs. 'Z and 8 the modified chain block has a lateral lug 5 which is laterally cut away at 26 to provide a relatively narrow central lug portion 2l having a rearwardly facing, outwardly inclined surface 28 and a plane outer surface 29 extending longitudinally of the block. The cutter bit, generally designated 30, in this instance, is preferably of the type cut from bar stock and has a body generally triangular in shape in side ele- 3 vation and of generally diamond shape in cross section. Oppositely inclined cutting faces 3l, 3| are disposed at the sides of the triangle and are of elongated diamond shape in outline as shown in Fig. 9 and terminate in cutting points 32 at the, opposite extremities of the bit body. A bit clamp 33 straddles the narrow portion of the block lug and is pivotally mounted at 34 on the narrow portion of the block lug in advance of the surface 28., and the pivot pin is preferably in the form of a rivet secured to the side arms 35, 35 of the clamp and passing through a transverse opening 36 in the lug portion 2i. The rear head 31 of the clamp has a socket 33 for receiving the cutter bit. The forward portions of the side arms 35 of the pivoted bit clamp are preferably integrally connected by a transverse portion 39 disposed in advance of the block lug portion 2i' and formed with an upright threaded opening fill in which a set screw li l is received. abuts at i2 the forward portion of the chain block. When the set screw is. adjusted inwardly, the bit clamp 33 is swung about its pivot, clamping the cutting faces 3i. 3| rmly against the surfaces Zt and 29 respectively of the block lug in I the manner shown in Fig. 7.

As a result of this invention an improved vcutter bit mounting is provided whereby a cutter bit is secured in an improved manner in cutting position on a chain block. By forming the pivoted bit clamp with spaced apart side portions which straddle the narrow portion of the block Iug, an extremely rugged construction is attained. By the provision of the improved chain block construction and the improved manner of mounting the bit clamp on the chain block, an extremely powerful bit clamping action is attained. Other uses and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described two forms which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood vthat these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. or the scope `of the ap pended claims.

What I claim as new and Letters Patent is:

l. In a cutter chain, a chain block yhaving a lat-- eral lug, said lug being cut away .at its sides to provide a narrow central lug portion, said narrow portion having a rearwardly facing surface: against which a cutter bit is adapted to seat, said` narrow portion being transversely slotted, and the slot being elongated ina direction lengthwiseof the block, and a bit clamp straddling the narrow portion of the block lug and having spaced parallel side portions and a pivot element secured to the parallel side portions and passing through said elongated slot, said slot permitting. adjusting movement of the clamp during clamplng of the bit.

2. In a cutter chain. a chai-n block having a lateral lug, said lug being cut away at its sides to provide a narrow central lug portion, said narrow portion having a rearward-ly facing., inclined surface against which a cutter bit is adapted to seat, and said lug having a forwardly facing, inclined surface disposedv rearwardly of saidrearwardly facing surface, .and a bit clamp straddl'ing the narrow portion of the block lug and rpivotally mounted on said narrow portion and engaging said forwardly facing surface for ciamping a cutdesire to secure by The set screw at its lower end l 4 ter bit in cutting position against said rearwardly facing surface.

3'. InL a cutter chain, a chain block having a lateral lug, said lug being cut away at its sides to provide a narrow central lug portion, said narrow portion having a rearwardly facing, inclined surface and a plane outer surface extending longitudinally of the block, said surfaces each adapted to have a cutting surface of a cutter bit rest against it, and a bit clamp straddling the narrow portion of the block lug and pivotally mounted on said narrow portion for clamping a cutter bit in cutting position against said lug surfaces.

4. In a cutter chain, a chain block having a lateral lug, said lug being cut away at its sides to provide a narrow central lug portion, said vnarrow portion having a rearwardly facing ysurface against which a cutter bit is adapted to seat, a clamp straddling and pivotally mounted on said narrow lug portion, said 'clamp having parallel side portions at the opposite sides of said narrow lug portion and connected 'at their forward ends by a transverse portion, and an upright set screw threaded within an opening in said transverse portion and engaging a forward portion of the chain block for swinging said clamp about its pivot for ciamping a `cutter bit in cutting position against said lug surface.

5. In a vcutter chain, a lchain block having a lateral lug provided with a plane outer surface eX- tending transversely of the block, said lug being cut away at its sides to provide a narrow central longitudinal portion and an enlarged end portion, the latter providingl a forwardly facing abutment surface, and a swingable bit holder straddling and loosely pivotally mounted on said narrow central portion with portions at the opposite sides thereof and slidingly engaging said abutment surface, a cutter bit engaged by said holder and seated against said plane outer lug surface, and means for adjusting said holder relative to said block into bit clamping position.. said holder swinging on its pivotal mounting and sliding bodily .inwardly along ysaid abutment surface during such adjustment.

6. In a cutter chain,v a chain block havingl a lateral lug, said lug being cut away at the sides of its forward portion to providev a relatively nar-v row central longitudinal portion., anda bit clamp straddling said narrow lug portion and pivotally mounted intermediate its ends thereon tov swing. in longitudinal planes, relative to the block for securing a cutter bit in .cutting .position on the block, said clamp having rearwardly of its pivot a. rear bit receiving head portion and parallel side portion-s extending forwardly fromsaid head por.-t tion along the sides and in advance of said narrow lug portion, said rear head portion having a forwardly facing bit seat, betweenv said side portions, and said clamp further having a transverse front, portion connecting said side. portions in advance of said narrow lug portion at. the forward. side'of said lug and with which a clamp swinging means is engageabie, and said block having a portion in advance of said narrow lugI portion with which a clamp swinging means cooperates during clamplng.

'7. In a cutter chain, a chain block having a lateral lug, said lug being cut away at the sides of its forward portion to'provide a relatively narrow central longitudinal portion. said narrow lug portion having a rearwardly facing, forwardly and', outwardly 'inclined surface against which the-forward face of a cutter bit ifs-adapted to seat, and a bit clamp straddling said narrow lug portionand" pivotally mounted thereon between its ends in advance of said seating surface to swing in longitudinal planes with respect to said block, said clamp having at its rear end a forwardly and inwardly swinging head portion located rearwardly of said bit seating surface and engageable with the hack of a cutter bit for clamping a cutter bit forwardly in cutting position against said seating' surface.

8. In a cutter chain, a chain block having a lateral lug, the sides of which are cut away to provide a relatively narrow central longitudinal portion, said. narrow lug portion having a rearwardly facing, inclined surface against which a cutter bit is adapted to seat, a bit clamp pivoted between its ends on said narrow lug portion in ad- Vance of said seating surface, and clamp swinging means engageable with the front end of said clamp and with a surface on said block in advance of said pivot for swinging the front end of said clamp outwardly to cause the rear end thereof to move bodily forwardly and inwardly to clamp a cutter bit forwardly against said inclined surface.

9. In a cutter chain, a chain block comprising a lateral lug having recesses at its opposite sides to provide an arrow central longitudinal portion between the recesses, and at the rear walls of said recesses providing a forwardly facing abutment surface, a pivoted bit holder straddling said 6 narrow central portion and having an outer head and an integral portion having spaced parallel sides extending into said recesses, said head having a seat for engagement by a cutter bit and slidably engaging said abutment surface, means for pivotally mounting said holder on said lug, and adjustable means on said integral holder portion and engaging the block for swinging said holder on its pivotal mounting relative to said lug and to slide said head inwardly with respect to the lug along said abutment surface to hold a cutter bit in cutting position on the block against said Seat,

LEON E. SMMONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 93,580 Bailey Aug. 10, 1869 797,958 Hopkinson Aug. 22, 1905 1,435,309 Kenton Nov. 14, 1922 1,487,198 Bowman Mar. 18, 1926 1,782,172 Levin Nov. 18, 1930 2,039,747 Stenger May 5, 1936 2,214,644 Stenger Sept. 10, 1940 2,227,737 Osgood Jan. 7, 1941 2,319,387 Cartlidge May 18, 1943 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,469,523 May 10, 1949 LEON E. SIMMONS It is hereby certied that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 2, line 53, for the numeral 5 read 25; column 5, line 27, claim 9, for the Words an arrow read a narrow;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent OHice.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of December, A. D. 1949.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommissz'oner of Patents. 

